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- Composer - |
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- Composer - |
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Born in Plymouth (UK) in 1951
Studied composition at Goldsmiths College, London University, from 1969-1974.
His best-selling CD, 'Piano Jazz, Rags, Ballads and Blues' has a total running time of 58:35, all the music having copyright 2000 protection unless otherwise indicated. Click on the links below to to hear samples from any of the thirteen tracks on the CD. If that doesn't work, right-click on the link and select 'Save Target As' to copy the file to your computer and run it from there.
'Hobo Blues', 'My Baby's Door' and 'Variation on Around And A Bit', all feature the blues 'harp' (and voice) of Jeff Horsey, from the critically acclaimed 'Backdoormen' Rhythm 'n' Blues Band. Otherwise, all the other pieces are for piano solo.
This CD costs Ł10 including P&P (to the UK).
Chamber music
The three Rags listed in 'Piano Jazz, Rags, Ballads
and Blues' (above) have also been arranged by the composer for piano duet,
and are published under the title '3 Rags for 4 Hands'. The minimum standard
of difficulty is approximately grade IV (ABRSM), but players of grade VII and
above should find the pieces attractive and enjoyable, complete with the odd
technical challenge or two!
The arrangement of the J. S. Bach 3-part F major fugue no. XI in Book I of his 48 Preludges and Fugues, the 'Well Tempered Clavier', is for String Quartet OR String Orchestra with added double bass part. This arrangement lasts 4 1/4 minutes.
There are three Downing Variations on the lovely Bach Sarabande in D minor, from the French Suite no. I for Clavier, as follows:
The first variation is for Wind Trio (flute [oboe]; Bb clarinet; bassoon). Here, the flute and bassoon parts maybe performed separately as solo pieces, or together, as a duet.
Variations 2 and 3 are for Violin Solo and Violin Duet respectively.
The Toccata and Chorale for Organ was written for Fiona Chryssides, to whom the original 'Organ Sonatina' of 1976 is dedicated to Mary Mazur-Park, who suggested this smaller variant of 2009. This virtuoso piece has an approximate duration of 7 1/2 minutes.
The 21 two-part carols for piano are approximately of (above and below) grade II ABRSM standard, and are genuine two-part arrangements of all the most well-known (in the UK) carols, plus one original (A Boy Was Born in Bethlehem).
Harmonically compatible instrumental versions to accompany the piano series, are as follows, with approximate ABRSM grading from about grade II to IV, depending on instrument:
Choral music
The 'Six Contrasted Carols' are written for extremely flexible resources,
ie: a cappella SATB choir, or SA, or accompanied sopranos/trebles or various
combinations, as follows:
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These Carols may be performed separately or as a complete work.
There is also a separate version of no. 5 (Most Highly Favoured Lady), (transposed from G to B major) for solo soprano accompany SATB choir. The harmonies are thicker than in the original listed above.
'The Fader of Heven' is scored for soprano and alto soloists, SATB choir, Organ and Percussion (tubular bells, large suspended cymbal and bass drum). This full version of 'The Fader of Heven' was completed in June 2008, having been written for Kate Walker, Claire Powell, Simon Ible and the Plymouth University Choral Society.
The piece uses material from three of the earlier 'Six Contrated Carols' of 2003. The reworkings of 'The Fader of Heven' (no. 3) and 'Alleluia pro Virgine Maria' (no. 2) are linked by fragments from no. 6 of the set, the In Memoriam Caroline Dickinson carol 'Quem Pastores Laudavere.' The texts are a mix of medieval English and Latin.
Orchestral music
The Mikromalgam II is scored for double woodwind and brass, timpani and
(minimum 6. 6. 4. 4. 2.) strings. The piece freely uses material found in the
three piano pieces (112, 120 and 126) from Béla Bartók's 'Mikrokosmos', in conjunction
with some original flights of fancy. It lasts approximately 6 1/2 minutes.
Scored for the same size orchestra is the 'Lullaby on a Birthday,' but this piece is suitable for amateur as well as professional standard orchestras, despite a somewhat more demanding 'cello part in places. This birthday piece is set in a distinctly neo-Romantic manner, and lasts about 5 1/2 minutes.
'Mikropizzi III' is scored for double string orchestra. It is a presto moto perpetuo pizzicato rondo which, inter alia, freely uses and develops the main theme from no. 112 Bartók's 'Mikrokosmos' (vol. IV: Variation on a Folk Tune; see reference to Mikromalgam II above).
This piece lasts for about 3 1/4 minutes, and can easily be tackled by amateur or school string orchestras, albeit perhaps at a slower tempo. However, the piece needs to be performed as fast as possible, and with as full a body of players as can be assembled, in order to achieve maximum effect.
The arrangement of the Bach F major Fugue mentioned earlier under Chamber music, can also be performed by full string orchestra, given the addition of a double bass part.
'A Little Fantasia on Gabriel's Message' is subtitled 'An English Variation on a Basque Carol,' and is scored for Orchestra or String Orchestra, as follows:
This arrangement of the traditional Basque setting of the Carol lasts about 4 1/4 minutes.
All orders or enquiries, including prices and requests for free inspection copies of manuscripts via email please, to jaemusdowning@hotmail.co.uk
